A Kumasi-based pastor, Reverend Daniel Essan Kojo aka Pastor Oboy, has been slapped with a 25-year jail term for his involvement in a car robbery. The Fiapre Circuit Court, near Sunyani in the Brong-Ahafo region, presided over by Benjamin Osei Yaw, gave the sentence on Friday August 5, 2011. His accomplice, Kwabena Kwarteng, was also handed 25 years imprisonment in hard labour for the same offence. The prosecutor, Superintendent Frederick Adjei, told the court that the two were arrested by the police at the Suame Magazine on Monday, August 1, after snatching an Opel Vectra with registration number GT 8411 from a taxi driver. The robbery took place between Abesim and Tanoso in the Brong-Ahafo Region. According to him, Pastor Essan, who is a minister at the Rhema Power Ministry at Tanoso in Kumasi, and his accomplice, hired the taxi to Yamfo. However, on their way, between Abesim and Tanoso, they seized the car from the driver at gunpoint and subjected him to severe beatings. He said Pastor Essan and Kwarteng also tied up the hands of the taxi driver behind him and dumped him somewhere in the bush. Superintendent Adjei said luck however, eluded the pastor when he attempted to spray the car which had some blood stains on it, at Kumasi Magazine. The man of God was nearly lynched by a mob upon his arrest, but the timely arrival of the police saved him from the wrath of the people. Workers at the workshop noticed some blood stains on the car and became suspicious which led to his arrest. However, his accomplice, Kwabena Kwarteng fled but he was later smoked out from his hide out by the police. Pastor Essan told a section of the media that he was influenced by Kwarteng who promised to give him GH¢500 to support his wife’s surgical operation which was supposed to have taken place last Wednesday.